Why the Arctic is so hot

Think you’ve seen it all? Explore the uncharted Arctic Circle for unparalleled beauty, adventure and culture.

While Antarctica is on many a bucket list, its polar opposite is becoming a hot (albeit very cold) place to visit.

One of the world’s most uncharted regions, the Arctic Circle encompasses a number of magical destinations: Canada, Alaska, Norway, Russia and Greenland.

The landscape is harsh but exquisitely beautiful, offering countless experiences – watching polar bears in the wild, cruising around serene glacial landscapes and witnessing the extraordinary Northern Lights. The northernmost country in the world, Greenland is a once-in-a-lifetime destination.

Be prepared to rug up – it’s all about the outdoors here, even with average temperatures plummeting to minus 20°C in winter, or rising to just 10°C in summer.

But the indigenous Inuit culture, whose people make up approximately 80 per cent of the population, is possibly one of the most fascinating aspects of visiting this far-flung region.

For 4000 years they have learnt to live in an inhospitable place by ice fishing and hunting, and living in turf huts, tents and occasionally igloos, depending on the season.

Indeed, if long dark winters aren’t your thing, the best time to visit Greenland is during the Midnight Sun, when the sun doesn’t set and you’re rewarded with 24 hours of daylight and plenty of summer activities to fill the hours.

We’re calling bluff on the old traveller’s saying, “When you’ve seen the world, there’s always Greenland”.

You won’t want to wait: this exceptional destination is one to get to now.